The Raikes Foundation Goes All In On Racial Equity And Democracy; Creating New Grantmaking Portfolio and Identity

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

May 17, 2023

CONTACT: May D. Sifuentes | may.sifuentes@raikesfoundation.org

The Raikes Foundation Goes All In On Racial Equity And Democracy; Creating New Grantmaking Portfolio and Identity

The Foundation announces new strategic grantmaking portfolio led by social justice advocate and veteran philanthropy expert Maria De La Cruz; supports efforts to build a just, multiracial democracy

Raikes unveils the transformation of its brand identity

(Seattle, WA – May 17, 2023) Today, the Raikes Foundation will expand its current focus on education, impact-driven philanthropy, and housing stability for youth to include a new strategic vision and grantmaking portfolio focused on building a robust multiracial democracy in the United States. The new portfolio – Resourcing Equity and Democracy (RED) – will be led by Maria De La Cruz, who joins the Foundation from the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy where she served as Vice-President and Chief External Affairs Officer. Under Maria’s leadership, RED will elevate, support, and fund organizations and initiatives dedicated to building a more fair, representative, and effective democracy and civil society through community organizing.

“At the Raikes Foundation, we believe that our communities should have the power, tools, and resources they need to shape a fair and just future for all. Right now, many young people in America are not given a fair opportunity to succeed, and the systems that are meant to empower young people are failing them, creating deep divisions and inequities in communities across the country,” said Dennis Quirin, Executive Director of the Raikes Foundation. “We are excited to launch RED and our new brand identity to meet this moment, and we look forward to continuing our work so that one day social or geographic factors are no longer a predictor of outcomes for young people in our country.”

“We are proud of the steps that the Raikes Foundation is taking under Dennis’s leadership to build a strong, representative democracy through the power of community organizing,” said Jeff and Tricia Raikes, co-founders of the Raikes Foundation. “The RED portfolio will be a critical component of our collective work to reimagine systems, to better support all young people to reach their full potential. Together, we will build a fair and just country where every young person has an opportunity to thrive.”

In line with the new RED portfolio, the Foundation remains committed to centering its existing programmatic areas – education, housing stability for youth, and impact-driven philanthropy – on racial equity and justice grantmaking. As the U.S. continues to confront long-standing challenges with racism and injustice that are exacerbated by a fracturing democracy, the Raikes Foundation’s RED portfolio seeks to take urgent action.

In addition, the Foundation announced the hiring of Maria De La Cruz as Senior Director of RED who will lead the overall strategy, program development, and grantmaking for the portfolio. Maria joins the Foundation with over 15 years of experience working in philanthropy and advancing social justice, most recently serving as the Vice-President and Chief External Affairs Officer at the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, where she oversaw strategic development as well as communications and marketing efforts. Maria brings a wealth of knowledge and skills to break down the structural barriers facing historically under-represented communities and help build a more just and fair society which is core to the RED portfolio’s mission.

“I am excited to join the Raikes Foundation and lead the work in building and implementing the new RED grantmaking portfolio,” said Maria De La Cruz, Senior Director, Resourcing Equity and Democracy (RED) portfolio at the Raikes Foundation. “At a time when American democracy is in severe decline and flagrant inequities continue to persist across all our systems, there has never been a more urgent need for the RED portfolio’s body of work. Through RED, I look forward to supporting and establishing strategic partnerships with changemakers and organizations on the ground to build a more just and fair society so all communities can succeed.”

To support this new vision and focus, the Raikes Foundation also unveiled a new brand identity, including a dynamic new logo, color palette, and redesigned website. The new branding and design demonstrates Raikes’ continued commitment to bringing communities together and empowering them to shape a more fair and just future. Through RED, the Raikes Foundation envisions a future with a robust multiracial democracy, one that levels the playing field so that individuals from all communities and backgrounds can succeed and reach their full potential.

Prior to RED and its new rebrand, the Foundation also announced it will spend down its total endowment by 2038. For more information on the Raikes Foundation’s RED portfolio or to learn more about the Foundation’s work, please visit https://raikesfoundation.org.

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About The Raikes Foundation

At the Raikes Foundation, we believe that when we work together and center the voices of young people, we can build a fair society for all. Our goal is to bring people together to break down barriers that prevent communities from thriving and to support solutions that allow all of us to determine a fair and just future for America. We make grants in four core areas: education, housing stability for youth, racial equity and democracy, and impact-driven philanthropy. Through our grants, we seek to redefine financial impact, support individuals, and promote community agency and solutions to build a more just and inclusive society where all young people have the support they need to achieve their full potential.